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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Present development of liquid-dispensing containers is in the direction of
finding alternatives to the aerosol system in the interest of both the
prevention of air pollution, and the reduction of cost to dispense a given
quantity of liquid. Hand or finger-operated pumps inserted in the open end
of containers are now used frequently, as are the familiar squeeze bottles
commonly used to dispense practically all forms of liquid from deodorants
to window-washing compounds. A number of plastics have been developed for
the use of manually-deformable squeeze bottles, and the present invention
is associated with this type of device. The simple principle of operation
involves generation of pressure inside the container whenever it is
squeezed, the pressure being utilized to eject a jet of a contained
liquid. Entrapped air within the container is occasionally used to form a
high velocity air jet adjacent the projected liquid to facilitate
atomization. Usually, a tube will lead from the liquid nozzle down to the
bottom of a container so that liquid can continue to be drawn off, instead
of merely air, as the container is progressively emptied. My co-pending
application Ser. No. 781,748 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,087,023 discloses the
mounting of a nozzle unit on a perforate transverse plate having its
peripheral edge entrapped between the end of the container and the closure
member to support the nozzle. The present invention is directed at
utilizing this principle of construction in a single-container device more
readily adaptable to current forms of containers and automated filling
equipment at a reduced cost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A squeeze-bottle is provided with a liquid-dispensing nozzle mounted on the
transverse perforate plate entrapped between the end of a container
defining its opening and the closure member normally covering this
opening. The closure member also defines an air-discharge orifice
surrounding the nozzle member. In one form of the invention, the plate is
relatively thin, and capable of a diaphragm deflection permitting the
nozzle unit to tilt slightly as it finds its way into the air orifice as a
closure member is tightened. Alternatively, the plate is provided a
sufficient lateral freedom of movement to accommodate the self-alignment
of the nozzle in the air orifice as the cap is tightened. In another form
of the invention, the nozzle-plate sub-assembly is centered with respect
to the air-discharge orifice by a self-alignment of the plate with respect
to the mouth of the container. Diaphragm deflection is utilized in a
purely axial direction in one form of the invention as the projection end
of the nozzle is engaged by a cap in the process of tightening the cap.
The continued tightening of the cap resiliently closes off the
liquid-discharge orifice, and then the air orifice around it. An
inclineable container is provided in which the air-liquid dispensing
ratios are maintained in various angular positions of the container with
respect to the horizontal, and special valve devices are incorporated in
both the air and liquid passages to prevent leakage, along with a float at
the free end of an air intake tube which will maintain the intake within
the contained air mass in all attitudes of the container.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an axial section of the upper extremity of a squeeze bottle,
showing the sealed condition induced by tightening a cap against the
liquid and air orifices.
FIG. 2 is a section similar to FIG. 1, showing the cap removed, and the
unit in condition for use.
FIG. 3 illustrates a modified form of the invention incorporating an offset
transverse perforate plate, illustrating a self-centering relationship of
the plate with respect to the container and closure member.
FIG. 4 illustrates a further modification of the invention incorporating a
flap valve in the air passage in conjunction with an offset transverse
plate.
FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, illustrating the valve in the open
position permitting the passage of air.
FIG. 6 illustrates a modified form of the invention incorporating a
reception of the nozzle unit between portions of the closure member at a
position axially spaced from the transverse plate.
FIG. 7 illustrates a further modification of the invention utilizing a
different configuration defining an air passage between the nozzle and the
closure member, and a self-alignment interengagement similar to aht
incorporated in FIG. 6.
FIG. 8 illustrates a further modification of the invention, incorporating a
one-piece nozzle-plate unit with self-alignment between the nozzle unit
and the closure member.
FIG. 9 is a side elevation showing an inclineable container in the upright
position.
FIG. 10 illustrates the container of FIG. 9 in a horizontal position, in
which the dispensing characteristics remain the same.
FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate the open and closed positions of a valve unit
incorporated in the liquid tube of the device shown in FIG. 9.
FIGS. 13 and 14 illustrate the closed and open positions of a similar form
of check valve installed at the opposite extremity of the liquid conduit.
FIGS. 15 and 16 illustrate the closed and opened positions, respectively,
of a flap valve in the air passage, with the closed position in FIG. 15
sealing around the cylindrical outside diameter of the nozzle unit.
FIG. 17 illustrates a modification of the invention providing a separate
air conduit, this assembly being associated with the system illustrated in
FIG. 19.
FIG. 18 illustrates a float arrangement, on an enlarged scale, for use in
conjunction with the container of the type shown in FIG. 19.
FIG. 19 is a sectional elevation showing a container incorporating both a
liquid-withdrawal tube and also an air conduit having the free end
positioned in the air space within the container by a float.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the neck of a conventional squeeze bottle is
indicated at 20, which forms a part of a manually-deformable container for
practically any kind of liquid to be dispensed. The closure member 21 is
slipped over the end of a neck 20, and is adhesively secured in position.
During this assembly process, the perforate transverse plate 22 is
interposed between the end of the neck 20 and the closure member 21. This
plate contains a number of holes as indicated at 23-24 in angularly spaced
relationship about the center of the plate to form passages for air moving
out through the neck 20 underpressure as the container is squeezed. This
air moves through the space 25 defined by the closure member 21, and out
through the conical air-discharge orifice 26. Liquid moves up through the
tube 27 under the urging of this same air pressure, and moves through the
nozzle unit 28 having the cylindrical lower extension 29 received in a
press fit relationship in the central opening in the plate 22. Preferably,
the tube 27 is adhesively secured to the inside diameter of the extension
29. A conical upper end 30 of the nozzle unit 28 is generally similar on
its exterior surface to the conical surface of the air orifice 26, and the
space between them provides a passage for the discharge of the pressurized
air, directed generally toward the axis of the device to assist in the
atomization of the liquid discharged through the orifice 31.
The plate 22 is capable of a resilient deformation under the axial pressure
provided by the cap 32 as it is tightened down in its threaded engagement
with the closure member 21. The deflected condition of the plate 22,
acting as a diaphragm, is shown in FIG. 1. The resulting resilient
pressure forms a seal across the liquid-discharge orifice 31 as the cap
first engages the outer surface 33 of the nozzle element 28. With the
continued tightening of the cap 32, the deflection of the plate 22
continues until the underside of the cap 32 bears also against the end
surface 34 of the closure member 21 to seal off the air-discharge orifice
26. Under these conditions, the container is obviously fully sealed. As
the cap is subsequently unscrewed to prepare the dispenser for use, the
resilient of the plate 22 restores it to the position shown in FIG. 2, in
which the end of the nozzle projects somewhat beyond the surface 34, but
still leaves a space between the end of the nozzle unit and the air
orifice 26 to provide the necessary air passage.
Referring to FIG. 3, a modified form of the invention is illustrated in
which the container 35 has threaded engagement with a closure member 36 as
indicated at 37. The end surface 38 of the closure member contains the
discharge orifice 39 for the intermixture of air moving between the
conical surface of the nozzle 40 and the similar conical surface 41 of the
closure member. Liquid moving out through the orifice 42 of the nozzle is
thus intimately intermixed with the pressurized air before moving
outwardly through the orifice 39. The nozzle 40 is received in a press fit
in a central opening in the offset transverse plate 43 provided with
perforations as shown at 44-45, and the amount of this offset makes it
possible to decrease the overall height or extension of the assembly
beyond the end of the container 35. The conical configuration of this
offset also provides a self-centering feature for locating the nozzle 40
with respect to the conical surface 41 of the closure member. Tightening
of the closure member 36 in its threaded engagement with the container
forces the plate 43 downward, with the result that it takes its own
position properly coaxial with the remainder of the assembly.
Referring to FIG. 4, the offset transverse plate 46 has this same
self-centering feature due to the tapered portion 47 engaging the opening
of the neck 48 of the container. The closure member 49 also has threaded
engagement with the neck 48, thus generating the necessary downward
pressure to produce the self-centering tapering engagement. The FIG. 4
construction has a slightly different discharge orifice intersecting the
top surface 50 of the closure member 49, as the presence of the bevelled
adjacent surface 51 tends to generate a greater dispersal of the mist
constituting the mixture of liquid with the pressurized air moving
outwardly from the space 52 within the container, through the transverse
plate apertures 53-54, and then through the passage 55 between the nozzle
56 and the conical inner surface 57 of the closure member 49. The lower
extension 58 of the nozzle unit receives the withdrawal tube 59, and this
interengagement is preferably secured with adhesive. The nozzle unit
itself, as before, is press-fitted to a central opening in the transverse
plate 47.
Primarily as a means of preventing spillage of liquid from the container
out through the perforations 53-54 of the plate 47, a flap valve of a
resilent material such as rubber is mounted within the offset of the plate
47, and has a thin flap portion indicated at 60 directly overlying the
central planar surface containing the perforations 53-54. The side portion
of this valve member is indicated at 61, and lies along the surface of the
plate offset 47. Since the height of the portion shown at 61 is equal to
or slightly greater than, the amount of the offset, the underside of the
closure member 49 confines the valve to its position shown in FIG. 4. In
this position, liquid cannot spill out through the perforations, and
accumulate in the space 62, or drain outward through the passage 55. On
application of considerable pressure to the container, however, the air
pressure within the space 52 increases to the point that the flap portions
60 is deflected upwardly away from the plate as shown in FIG. 5. This
permits the passage of the pressurized air as indicated by the arrows.
Return air to replace the volume of the ejected air and liquid is sucked
in through the liquid-dispensing orifice, and thus tends to remove
accumulated droplets where they may evaporate and congeal.
Referring to FIG. 6, the closure member 63 is in threaded engagement with
the neck 64 of a squeeze-bottle container, and the thin plate 65 is
interposed between the neck 64 and the closure member to securely support
the nozzle 66. A slip on-off cap is indicated in dotted lines at 67, and
is optional. The underside of the closure member 63 is provided with a
group of fins shown at 68-69 in FIG. 6, with these fins defining a central
opening closely receiving the outer cylindrical surface of the nozzle 66.
The space between the fins provides the air passage for the pressurized
air moving from within the container out through the apertures 70-71 of
the plate 65. The accommodation of the assembly of the closely-fitting
relationship between the nozzle and the fins 68-69 is provided in two
ways: (a) by the lateral shiftability of the plate 65 within the closure
member prior to tightening the closure member down onto the neck, and (b)
by the capability of the thin plate 65 to deflect in a somewhat sinusoidal
pattern as the nozzle might be tilted slightly from the lateral pressure
generated by the fins at a point substantially above the plate 65. In the
FIG. 6 assembly, the withdrawal tube 72 is slipped over the outside
diameter of the lower extension 73 of the nozzle unit, and adhesively
secured in place so that the plate 65 is entrapped between these members.
This eliminates the need of a press fit between the nozzle and the plate,
unless additional security of mounting is desired. The self-centering
relationship between the nozzle and the fins 68-69 will normally make it
unnecessary to provide a particularly firm interengagement between the
nozzle and the plate.
Referring to FIG. 7, the threaded engagement between the neck of the
container 74 and the closure member 75 securedly clamps the transverse
plate 76 in position. As in the FIG. 6 structure, the lateral shiftability
and deflection of this plate accommodate the self-centering between the
central cylindrical bore 77 of the closure member and the outer ridges
provided by the polygonal exterior cross section of the nozzle shown at
78. Air passages are provided by the space between the flat surfaces of
this cross-section and the surface of the bore 77. The withdrawal tube 79
is slipped over the lower extension 80 of the nozzle unit so that the tube
79 and the nozzle unit are axially fixed with respect to the plate, and
thus properly located with respect to the inside surface 81 adjacent the
discharge orifice 82.
FIG. 8 illustrates another form of the self-centering feature, in which the
exterior generally conical portion 83 of the nozzle unit 84 is provided
with grooves as shown at 85 forming, with the inside conical surface 86 of
the closure member 87, air passages leading from the clearance space 88
communicating (through the aperture 89,90) with the space 91 within the
container 92. In the FIG. 8 assembly, the transverse plate 93 is integral
with the nozzle unit, and has the lower extension 94 receiving the
withdrawal tube 95. The solid interengagement between the conical surface
86 and the tapered portion of the nozzle 83 establishes the necessary
close centering, and is accommodated by the lateral shiftability of the
plate 93 prior to tightening the threaded engagement between the closure
member 87 and the container 92.
Referring to FIG. 9, a modified form of the invention is illustrated in
which the squeeze-bottle container 96 has a laterally offset portion shown
at 97, with opposite recesses as indicated at 98 permitting the portion 97
to be used as a handle. Since this is still a part of the
manually-deformable container 96, squeezing the handle will have the same
effect as squeezing any other part of the container. The presence of the
handle immediately adjacent the nozzle and closure member assembly 99 has
the natural effect of a placing the nozzle in the air space resulting from
any inclined position, as shown in FIG. 10. In a container of this type,
it is preferable to limit the air passages in the transverse plate to one
side, as indicated at 99a, which is the side most likely to remain in the
air space. The withdrawal tube 100 maintains its position immersed in the
liquid, so that the desired air-liquid relationship of the discharge from
the container can be maintained.
FIGS. 11 and 12 are enlarged views of an anti-leakage valve that can easily
be inserted in the lower extremity of a liquid-withdrawal tube of the type
shown at 100 in FIGS. 9 and 10. The intake end of the tube 101 receives an
insert of highly resilient material such as rubber, which has a
cylindrical portion 102 received within the inside diameter of the
withdrawal tube. The normal position of the portion 102 of this valve
appears in FIG. 12. Application of exterior pressure, however, has the
effect of deflecting the portion 102 into the FIG. 11 position, permitting
liquid to proceed inward through the opening 103 in the wall in the tube
101. A shoulder 104 associated with the internal portion 102 of the valve
member assists in maintaining the proper assembled relationship.
FIGS. 13 and 14 illustrate another valve having a similar function, in
which the generally cylindrical portion 105 of the valve member 106 is
received within the lower extension 107 of the nozzle 108, rather than at
the lower end of the withdrawal tube 109, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. The
valve unit has a transverse portion 110 with a central discontinuity 111
in a thin portion capable of opening when the unit is deflected upwardly
under pressure, as shown in FIG. 14. A convenient peripheral shoulder on
the cylindrical portion 105 serves to locate the valve member with respect
to the nozzle unit, and is preferably of sufficiently limited diameter so
that it does not project radially beyond the extension 107 to interfere
with the reception of the withdrawal tube 109. The transverse perforate
support plate 112 functions are previously described. The arrangement
shown in FIGS. 11-12 and 13-14 both have the effect of sealing off the
flow of liquid in the absence of manually-applied pressure on the
associated container. Suction resulting from release of manual pressure on
the container should pull in the necessary displacement air on opposite
deflection of the FIGS. 9-10 version, and through other passages in the
FIGS. 11-12 form.
Referring to FIGS. 15 and 16, a modified form of the invention shows a type
of valve for sealing off the air passage against leakage of liquid, and is
particularly well adapted to the sort of inclinable container shown in
FIGS. 9 and 10. The container 113 is equipped with the closure member
shown at 114, and the transverse plate portion of an integral plate-nozzle
unit is entrapped between the container and the closure member as
previously described. Additionally, however, a washer-shaped valve 116 is
also entrapped in the same manner. This valve is also of a highly
resilient material such as rubber, and has a central opening having a
preferably forced fit relationship with the cylindrical portion 117 of the
nozzle unit. in the position illustrated in FIG. 15, this provides a
sealing arrangment blocking liquid from entering the space 120 inside the
closure member 114. Application of pressure by squeezing the bottle 113
deflects the member 116 away from the cylindrical portion 117 of the
nozzle to provide for the passage of pressurized air through the nozzle
assembly as previously described. The withdrawal tube 121 is preferably
adhesively secured to the sleeve portion 122 of the plate-nozzle unit.
Referring to FIG. 17, the squeeze bottle 123 has the closure member 124 in
threaded engagement, with the transverse plate 125 entrapped between them.
This modification of the invention, however, provides a separate air
conduit 126 receive within the generally cylindrical section 127 integral
with the transverse plate 125. The liquid-withdrawal tube 128 is received
by a similar section 129, which is concentric with the axis of the
discharge orifice 130. The downward offset of the plate 125 provides the
space 131 for the movement of the air out from the conduit 126 to the
passage between the nozzle 132 and the internal conical surface leading to
the orifice 130. The assembly shown in FIG. 17 is associated with the
container 133 shown in FIG. 19, and the free end of the air conduit 126 is
provided with the float 134 to maintain the air inlet 135 at a position
always above the surface of the liquid indicated at 136. The air inlet 135
is thus always within the air space 137 above the liquid, regardless of
the orientation of the container. The air conduit 126 is preferably coiled
as shown to minimize a tendency for the stiffness of the tubing to
submerge the float.
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